Nanny Tellie

By Richie Ann Ashcraft

Just for the sake of getting conversation rolling, I propose the question: “Should babies watch TV??
My initial reaction to this question is indubitably NO and I would assume that would be the popular answer.
But, it appears others would disagree, like subscribers to the new BabyFirstTV. For only $9.99 a month, DirecTV subscribers can order this new channel marketed specifically for babies here.
I just finished watching some of the promo video on the website. I gotta say, I think babies WOULD like it. But whether or not they should be watching or if parents should be plunking down their children in front of Nanny Tellie (so momma can have a glass of wine?) remains to be debated.
And, if I had to watch that rainbow horse paint color on clothes for more than 30 seconds I think WOULD have to have a little nip of gin.
According to this article, Sharon Rechter, executive vice president of the network said •The fact of life is that babies are already watching TV?, and you know I agree with her.
I left my 3-month-old on the living floor with his legs pointed away from the tube just for a second to grab a diaper. When I returned, he had turned his head to a break-neck angle and his eyes were transfixed. Apparently he has a blossoming interest in Drain-O.
But, a recent report by the American Academy of Pediatrics said that babies under two shouldn•t be watching TV at all.
So, what do you think? If your secret indulgence is popping a Cinderella DVD into your kids’ Barbie TV before bed, I’d like to know. If you think television watching is a deadly sin, tell me why. Or if you just have a suggestion for a nice merlot, well, I’d take that too.